1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an IC socket which is suitable for connecting and disconnecting a flat IC to and from a socket, and more particularly to an IC socket which is designed as such that an IC can be easily handled when the IC is connected and disconnected to and from the socket.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There has been known an IC socket provided with a mechanism for opening and closing a contact so that an integral circuit (IC) can be mounted or removed without loads. However, in the case the integral circuit comprises a minute and flat chip, it is difficult to remove the IC from the IC socket even when contact resistance is in a released state or is zero because it has few portions which can be grasped. If a pincette or the like is used for the removal, there is a possibility that the IC leads and contact are damaged by mistake. Moreover, adoption of a pincette or the like badly spoils the efficiency of the IC removing work.
In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, there has been known an IC socket, as represented by Japanese Utility Model Application Early Laid-open Publication No. Sho 58-30295, in which an IC socket is provided with a sing-and-float table for supporting thereon an IC, the IC being held by a spring so that the supporting table is energized upward, the IC together with the supporting table being pushed down against the force of the spring by closing a presser cover pivotably mounted on the IC socket so that the IC is contacted with the contact, the supporting table and IC being pushed up by the spring by opening the cover so that the IC can be removed from the IC socket. However, even if the IC is pressed by the presser cover, not only the IC and supporting table but also the presser cover itself tend to be floated up by the pushing-up force of the spring because the pushing-up force of the spring is always applied to the IC supporting table and IC, and thus the contact between the IC lead and the contact becomes unstable. In addition, the amount for pushing down the IC and IC supporting table by the presser cover is limited, and therefore, the pushing-up amount is also limited. Thus, much difficulty is accompanied when the IC socket is to be designed as such that the IC and IC supporting table is pushed up to the extent sufficient to remove the IC from the IC socket.
There has also been proposed another IC removing device, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,560,216, in which the presser cover is provided with a suction cup means for sucking the upper surface of the IC so that when the cover is opened, the IC is immediately extracted. However, it takes much time and labor to remove the IC from the suction cup means. On the contrary, if the suction force is insufficient, the IC tends to come off easily. In addition, it has such an inconvenience as that the suction cup means becomes deteriorated and unable to firmly suck the IC.
Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 4,498,047 discloses a device, in which an IC is directly pushed down to move a stage member with the IC mounted thereon downward against a spring, the stage member being brought into engagement with a lock mechanism in the lower position to maintain a contact, the lock member being unlocked by pressing the IC again in order to move the stage member with the IC mounted thereon to an upper position. In this device, in order to move the IC to an upper or lower position, a pressure must be given to the IC directly.
This conventional device has such disadvantages as that although there is a risk that the IC is broken when a mechanical external pressure is incurred to the IC, such an undesirable pressure must be incurred to the IC. Furthermore, when the IC is pressed, the IC is often displaced or inclined to deform the lead and contact, or an erroneous contact is taken place. Furthermore, in the above-mentioned prior art, when the IC is moved downward, it is brought into the state where the IC is pushed into the socket. Therefore, in order to press the IC again, a finger must be inserted into a narrow space and thus very inconvenient to operate.